Off-duty battalion chief saves woman from burning home

At approximately 5:28pm on April 18, 2012, Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) units were dispatched to the 6000 block of Shire Way for reports of a house fire, according to a press release issued by the LBFD. An update later revealed the correct address would be on the next street over on the 800 block of Rancho Drive.
At the same time, an off-duty LBFD Battalion Chief (BC) noticed large amounts of black smoke coming from his neighbor’s home. He ran around to the back of the home, where he found the kitchen on fire. Another neighbor used a garden hose to try and douse the flames from outside while the off-duty BC went into the fire- and smoke-filled home through the sliding glass door.
He then heard the faint voice of an elderly woman and began heading in that direction. He found the victim slumped over in a chair and pulled her outside to safety. He checked to make sure she was conscious and breathing before reentering the home to conduct a primary search for any other victims. By then, Engine 22 had arrived on scene and put out the fire. No one else was home at the time of the incident.
Rescue 14 evaluated and transported the female patient, who is in her 70s, to the hospital for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by LBFD fire investigators.
Source: LBFD